Mechanism for operating artificial limbs



Oct. 21, 1941. w. L. TANcRl-:Dv E-rAl.- 2,259,9114

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS Filed Oct. ll, 1957 'Ptemed ocezl, 1941.

UNITED STAT Es PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR OPERATING ARTIFICIAL LIMBS William L. Tancred and William Henderson,

A Wctherseld, Conn. A

Application 2 Claims.

Our invention relates to mechanism for operating lingers, arm, and leg members of artificial limbs, and an object of the invention,v among others, is to provide means'whereby a maximum amount `of movement for a .limb member may be obtained with a minimum amount of movement October 111937, Serial N0.'168,353

person I2. A cylinder I3 of any suitable material is secured to the base I in any desired manner.

- A head I4 with a recess I5 on its inner surface is of the primary actuating means; a further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism where-l tion; and a still further'object ofthe 4invention is to provide a mechanism that shall be particularly eiective in the results produced by its operation.

Forms of mechanisms embodying the invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained are illustrated 'in the accompanying drawing in which y Figure 1 is a back viewl of a person wearing our improved articiallimb.

Figure 2 is a view in section through an artiiicial hand embodying ourinvention.

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the actuating mechanism whichis located between the vshtmlders.

Figure 4 is a front view of the 'plunger case which islocated within the hand.

Figure 5 is 1a side view of the same.' Y Figure 6 is a4 back view oi? the hand partially broken away to show construction;`

Figure 7is a detail View in lengthwise 'section through a hand showing a modication' ofthe iinger arrangement. Y

Figure 8 is a detail view illustrating a modiiied form of the structure. i Y

Our improved mechanism embodies the idea of operating artificial limbs, as arms, legs,I and iingers, by means of power transmitted by an inelastic iiuid, as liquid, preferably in a some-A what thick condition. The invention comprises means'i'or applying pressure to the fluid, which pressure 'is transmitted through a tube or tubes to pressure actuated-means for imparting move,- ment to the actuating mechanism. We have in mind several ways in which our purpose may be accomplished, a very satisfactory arrangement being that shown in the mechanisni illustrated herein in which the numeral I0 denotes a basev in the form of -a pad which is supported by the body in any suitable manner, preferably at the center of the back between the shoulders II A'of a secured to thecylinder to close one end, and an opening I6 is formed'through the opposite end of the cylinder for a. purpose to be presently de scribed. An" outlet passage I1 is also formed in this end of the cylinder and communicateswith the interior thereof, a port I8 leading from the chamber outwardly. A clamp nut I9 is screw threadedly secured to-a nipple 20 projecting from the side of the cylinder, said nut being for the purpose of attaching a hose or tube 2| to the nipple.

A piston 22 is nounted for reciprocating movement in the cylinder said piston having an annular recess 23 on that side facing the outlet end of the chamber in .the cylinder. A stem 24 projects irom the piston outwardly through the end of the cylinder. Actuating straps 25-26 are attached at their adjacent ends to the cylinder head I4 and the outer end of the stem 24, the opposite ends of said straps being secured as by bands 21 around the shoulders next to the arms, said bands passing around the shoulders at this point. Bars 28 are secured' to the cylinder-'head I4 and the outer end of thefstem 24 oilthe piston, and springs l 29 secured at their opposite ends to the ends of The tube 2| is attached to the arm 30, in any suitable man'ner, and extends downwarly and I within and, through the forearm 3| rthat, in the y structure-herein shown. is an artificial member.'

A hand 32 cdmposed of any suitable material ,is attached-(to the outer end ofthe forearm 3I as by means of a bolt`33. A chamber 34 is formed "in the hand 32 and a case 35 is secured within this chamber asby means of screws 36. A compression chamber 31 is formed in the Vcase and` bores 38 extend from the compression chamber into recesses 39 opening to the outer surface of the case. Plungers 40 extend through the bores 38, through the recess 39 and into bores 4I in the bottom of the case.' Lugs 42 are secured to and project from each of the plungers 40 out of the case into a position in front of it and iinge'r. actuating rods 43 are secured to each of the lugs andproject outwardly therefrom.

The hose 2I :is connected' to a tube 44 projecting into the chamber 34 and opening at its `end into the compression chamber 31. A

From the mechanism thus far disclosed it will be apparent that when the piston 22 is forcedv toward the outlet passage I1, as by a slight forward movement of the shoulders I l, pressure will be created in this end of the cylinder which will be communicated through the hose 2| to the' template the use of a somewhat thick liquid, asl

oil mixed with graphite, which will not readily leak through the joints but will be retained in the chambers and passages in which it is placed.

The ringer actuating rods 43 extend outwardly from the lugs 42 andv terminate in forks 45 each of which receives one anm 46 of a bell crank lever which is pivotally attached to the forks, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The longer arm 41 of each bell crank lever is encased within a finger 48 which is pivotally attached'to the hand 32 as by means of a pivot 49.

The shouldercreated by the fork 45 at the base of the forenger of the hand rests against one arm of a bell crank lever 50 encased within a thumb 5I which is pivotally attached to the hand, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The fingers and thumb are held in their opened positions as by means of springs 52 seated in recesses in the hand and thrusting against the lever 59 and the shoulders created by the forks 45.

This will creates. pull upon the cord 62 which will result in'a lifting of the arm section 3i in a manner that will be readily seen.

The structure shown in Fig. 7 for operating the fingers is the same as that described with respect to the device of Fig. 2 of the drawing with the exception that cords 63 are attached fingers, and the levers 54-83 are provided at their outer ends` with guides 59 through which the cord 93 loosely extends, the outer end of said cordbeing attached to the outer end of the vlever 51, and as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

The cords also extend loosely through the levers 64 and the cord appurtenant to the foreflnger also extends loosely through one arm of the bell It will thus be seen that when the shoulders/ 30 are moved slightly forward creatinga 'pull on/ the actuating rods 43, as hereinbefore described, such pull on said rods Will movethe fingers and the thumb to their closed positions for the purpose of grasping an article tobe held in the hand.

We contemplate substantiallythe same mechanism for operating the forearm which is pivotally attached to the upper arm as shown in Fig. 1. This mechanism comprises a band 53 .which encircles the leg 54 said band having an extension 55 to a pad 56 supported on the thigh as by means of a strap 51 extending to and attached to the band 21 extending around the shoulder. A cylinder 58 is supported bythe pad 59, this cylinder and its cooperating parts'being the same as hereinbefore describedwith respect to the cylinder I3 and for which reason a further and detailed description is omitted herein. A

`tube 59`extnds from the cylinder 5 8 upwardlyj to a support 60 for both the tubes 2i and 59, said tube 59 extending downwardly from said support through the arm sections. and into an arm operating case 6I llocated within the forearm 3|, and as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The case 6I contains an operating mechanism the same as one of the .mechanisms located in the hand and as hereinbefore described and to Awhich reference is hereby made for an understanding of such mechanism. x The .plunger within the case BI has the rod 43 attached 4toit as hereinbefore described, this rod having a cord 62 attached to it and passing around sheaves, as

shown'in Fig.y 1 of the drawing. The end of said `cord is `secured to the arm section 30 on the inner side thereof. f'

From this construction it will be noted that a lifting of the shoulder will exert a pull upon the strap 51 thereby operating the piston within the cylinder 58 to create pressure within the tube 59 and thereby operate thelpiston in the case 6|.

crank lever 50 of the thumb 5I. The springs 52 are employed to exert an outward pressure upon the levers 54 and lever 50, as hereinbefore described with respect to the structure of Fig. 2.

From this description it will be seen that when the lugs 42 are forced downwardly thepull upon the cords 53 will first bend the ungual phalanxes v69 until the shoulders 1| thereon strike the outer ends of the middle phalanxes` 68. 'I'he latter will then be caused to move on the pivots until the shoulders 12 strike the end of the' basilar phalanx 65 when the latter will be moved, thus bending all of the phalanxes .of each of the 'lingers When'the basilar phalanx of the foreiinger begins to bend'one arm of the lever 63 resting against one arm of the lever 50 the latter will be moved` to close the thumb against the fingers. I

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes vwe have described the principles of op- 1.`In combination with an artificial hand,... a

pressure chamber in said hand, a bore communicating with said pressure chamber, a plunger in said bore,y a linger pivotally attached to said hand, a thumb pivotally attached to said hand. levers projecting from said finger and thumb one of said levers underlying the other for operation thereby, an operative connection. between I said plunger and levers, and means for creating pressure within said pressure chamber.

2. In' combination with an articial limb, an arm member pivotally attached to said limb, a case within said arm member, a piston within saidV case, means fovexerting pressure on said piston to operate it, and `a flexible connection extending from said piston and attached at its end to said limb, said connection extending in devious directions whereby straightening caused by movement of said piston will elevate said arm member.

WILLIAM L. TANCRED. WILLIAM HENDERSON. 

